Loose leaf binder



Nov. 2l, 1939. A. G LOTTER' LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Aug". l5, 1938 m kw u @HHH 9M E q. lrl/ wmmmm @D .In ,MMM-:EEN H .u u m N\ 7D J mmmmrnmmmmmm wmp Sv. \\N\ Patented Nov. 21, 1939 UNITED STATES LoosE LEAF BINDER l Adolph Gf.l Lotter, Milwaukee,` Wis., assignor `to Stationers Loose Leaf Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 15, 1938,` Serial No. 225,035

15 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in loose leaf binders, and refers particularly to binders of the type in which the two binder heads are connected by flexible posts, and in which takeup mechanism within one of the binder heads provides means for pulling the posts taut.

Heretofore, the most .common form of takeup mechanism for this purpose has consisted of a right and left threaded screw mounted longitudinally in the binder head and on which nut members were threaded to move toward and from each other upon rotatie-n of the screw in opposite directions. These nut members were connected with the ends of the ilexible binder posts to pull the same taut upon movementtogether. c

With this past construction, movement of the binder heads toward andv from each other entailed considerable actuation of the take-up mechanism, which obviously is time consuming.

The present invention has as its primary object to provide an improved take-up mechanism for binders of this type which is so designed that only a slight actuation of the takefup mechanism is required to free'the binder heads for direct manual actuation toward and from each other, and for drawing the binder posts taut after the binder heads are brought into sheet engaging positions. f l More specifically it isan object of this inven tion to provide a loose leaf binder ofthe character described wherein the flexible end portions of the binder posts may be releasably gripped at any point along their length so that a slight actuation of the take-up` mechanism is suicient to draw the posts taut regardless of the thickness of the leaves being clamped between the binder heads.

Another object of this invention is to provide a releasable connection between the take-up mechanism and the lleXible end portions of the posts which is controlled entirely by actuation of the take-up mechanism. v

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this in-` vention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it vbeing under- 50 stood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawing illustrates one complete example of the physical embodiment of 55- the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles'v thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is atop view of a loose leaf binder constructed in accordance with this invention, with parts thereof broken away and in section; 5

Figure 2 is a sectional viewtaken through Figure 1 on the plane of the line 2 2; and Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view, illustrating the releasable gripping connection between the take-up mechanism and one of the binder posts.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawing in which like'numerals indicate like parts, the numerals 5.and 6` designate two binder heads between which a body'of leaves 'I is adapted to be clamped. The binder heads, as is customary, are hollow. They-are connected by two posts 8, each of which has one end 9 xedly connected'to the binder head 6, and its opposite end portion, which is ilexible projecting through a hole lil in the undersurface of thebinder head 5. Guides II at the holes Il) direct the posts laterally toward each other and facilitate movement of the post sections into and out of the binder head 5.

Both of the binder heads are preferably formed of complementary channel-like members secured together by rivets I2, which also hold end caps I3 in place. The end caps I3 have portions I4 projecting therefrom to carry the ends of pintle bars I5 by which the covers I6 of 30 the binder are hingedly joined to their respective binder heads.

At the ends of the-head 5 are bearings Il in which a right and left'threaded screw shaft I8 is journalled. One end I9 of the screw shaft is 35 square and is accessible through a hole in the adjacent end cap I3 `for the application of a key 2l by which rotation `may b e imparted to the screw shaft. I

Nut members 22 are threaded on the screw 40 shaft to move toward and from eachother upon rotation of the shaft in opposite directions, the nut members 22 being of a` size to engage the opposite inner faces of the binder head to be guided -thereby in theirmotion and held against rotation withvrespect to the screw shaft.

Holes 23 in the nut members slidably receive the adjacent end portions of the binder posts and hold them in position to be acted thereon by clamping'plates 24. These clamping plates are pivotally connected with vtheir respective nut members by having one edge thereof confined in a slot 25 in the nut member.

The Vclamping plates, as best shown in Figure 3, have holes 26 through which the binder posts 55 pass. These holes are sufficiently large to permit free passage of the posts therethrough when the plates are in position substantially perpendicular to the axis of the posts, but when inclined, as shown in Figure 3, their diagonally opposite edges bite into the sides of the posts to securely grip the same.

The plates are yieldingly urged to their inclined positions by small compression springs 21 having their ends seated in pockets formed in the meeting faces of the plates 24 and the adjacent portions of the nut members. It is to be observed that the projection of the posts through the holes 26 holds the clamping plates assembled with the` nut members, and that the recesses 25 are sumciently large to permit the necessary pivotal movement of the plate members to and from their operative positions.

Release of the binder posts from the grip of the plates iifl is effected by turning the screw shaft It in a direction to cause the nut members 22 to move away from each other. Such motion of the nut members causes the clamping plates ifi to abut the ends Elli of the guides Il so that continued motion of the nut members away from each other carries the plate members to their post releasing positions, shown in Figur-e l.

ln this position of the parts, the flexible end portions of the binder posts are free to pass through the clamping plates and the nut members so that the binder head may be quickly moved toward and from the body of leaves as required, and when it ispressed down onto the body of leaves, only a slight actuation of the take-up mechanism, that is, rotation of the screw shaft in a direction to draw the nut members 22 toward each other, is necessary to cause the clamping plates 24 to grip the binder posts andraw them taut.

As will be readily apparent, the extent to which the flexible end portionsy of the binder posts project into the binder head 5 depends upon the thickness of the body of leaves between the heads, and that the smaller the body of leaves, the greater will be the extension of the flexible post ends into the head 5. To guide the binder posts for proper longitudinal motion, a guide member i9 is secured to one Ywall of the binder head 5.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the Vaccompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent that this invention provides a loose leaf binder Iin which the binder heads may be quickly released for rapid movement toward and from each other, and that a gripping connection between take-up mechanism` and th-e binder posts may be quickly established and the hinder posts drawn taut regardless of the thickness of the body of leaves between the heads.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. ln a loose lealc binder, the combination of: a pair of binder heads; flexible posts for connecting the binder heads; means for securing one end of the iiexible binder posts to one of the binder heads, the other binder head having holes to loosely receive the opposite end of the exible binder posts; a right and left threaded screw carried by said other binder head; nut members threaded on said screw and adapted to be moved toward each other by rotation of the screw in one direction; a clamping member carried by each of said nut members shaped to embrace and grip the adjacent flexible posi"J for drawing said flexible posts taut upon actuation of the screw to move the nut members toward each other; and

.means for releasing the posts from the grip of said clamping members upon motion of the nut members away from each other by rotation of the screw in the opposite direction.

2. In a loose leaf binder of the character 'described: a hollow binder head having openings for the reception of lein'ble binder posts; flexible binder posts each having one end portion projecting into the binder head through one of said openings; clamping plates inside the binder head adjacent to said openings, each clamping plate having a hole therethrough to receive the adjacent binder post, said holes being sulciently large to permit the posts to pass freely therethrough when the plates are substantially at right angles to the axes of the posts While gripping the posts when in an inclined position; means for yieldingly biasing said clamping plates to an inclined position gripping the posts; and means for drawing said clamping plates toward each other.

3. In a loose leaf binder including, two binder heads and a exible binder post, one of the binder heads having an opening through which the post passes so that part of the post may lie longitudinally alo-ng said binder head: means for releasably securing said binder head to the post at different .positions along the length of the post comprising, a clamping plate carried by the binder head and held in a position substantially transverse to the axis of the part of the post which lies longitudinally along the binder head, said clamping plate having a hole therethrough to freely receive the binder post and permit kfree passage thereof through the plate when the plate is in a predetermined position and to bind on the post when the plate is in another predetermined position, means for yieldingly urging the plate to said other predetermined position, and means for moving the plate away from the opening in the binder head to draw the post taut.

4. In a loose leaf bind-er including, two binder heads and a exible binder post, one of the binder heads having an opening through which the post passes so that part of the post may lie longitudinally along said binder head; means for releasably securing said binder head to the post at different positions along the'length of the post comprising, a clamping plate carried by the binder head and held in a position substantially transverse to the axis of the part of the post which lies longitudinally along the binder head, said clamping plate having a hole therethrough to freely receive the binder post and permit free passage thereof through the plate when the plate is in a predetermined position and to bind on the post when the plate is in another predetermined position,means for yieldingly urging the plate to said other predetermined position, means for moving the plate away from the opening in the binder head to draw the post taut; and means operable upon movement of said plate in the opposite direction for moving the plate to its iirst mentioned predetermined position at which the binder post is free to move with respect thereto.

5. In a loose leaf binder of the character 'described: a hollow binder head having a hole in one wall; a binder post having a iiexible portion extending through said hole to have a part thereof disposed inside the binder head with the axis of said part substantially parallel to the major axis of the binder head; a clamping plate inside the binder head having a hole to receive the said portion of the binder post, the hole in the clamping plate being of a size to permit the binder post to move freely therethrough when the plate is perpendicular to the axis v of the binder post, while in an inclined position its edges grip the post; means foryieldinglyurging the clamping plate to an inclined position at which the edges of `its hole grip the binder post; and means for bodily moving the plate longitudinally within the binder head. v

6. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a hollow binder head having a hole in one Wall; a binder post having a flexible portion extending through said hole to have a part thereof disposed inside the binder head with the axis of said part substantially parallel to the major axis of the binder head; a clamping plate inside the binder head having a hole to receive the said portion of the binder post, the hole in the clamping plate being of a size to permit the binder post to move freely therethrough lwhen the plate is perpendicular to the axis of the binder post, while in an inclined position its edges grip the post; means for yieldingly biasing the clamping plate to an inclined position at which the edges of its hole grip the binder post; means for bodily moving the plate longitudinally within the binder head; and means operable upon bodily movement of the plate longitudinallyof the head in one direction for moving the plate againstJ its biasing means to release its grip on the post.

7. In a loose leaf binder` of the character clescribed: a binder head having spaced holes; flexible binder posts projecting through said holes and having end portions thereof disposed longitudinally along the-binder head; a right and left threaded screw carried by the binder head and extending longitudinally thereof; nut members threaded on said screw to be movable toward and from eachother alongside said end portions of the binder posts upon rotation of the screw in opposite directions; and means carried by said nut members for releasably gripping the adjacent portions of the binder posts at any point along the length thereof to secure one post to each nut member so that a slight motion of the nut menibers toward each other effected by rotation of the screw in the proper direction pulls the binder posts taut.

8. In a loose leaf binder of the character described; two binder heads adapted to have a stack of leaves clamped therebetween; binder posts for connecting the heads, one end of each binder post being xed to one of the binder heads, the other end portion of each binder post being flexible and adjustably connectible with the other binder head to accommodate stacks of leaves of different heights, said other binder head having holes through which the flexible end portions of the binder posts project; means adjacent to said holes for guiding the fiexible binder posts to form a turn so that the end portions of the posts lie fiat along the said binder head; a right and left threaded screw carried by said binder head and extending longitudinally thereof; nut members threaded on said screw for movement toward and from each other upon rotation of the screw in opposite directions; andv means carried by said nut members for readilyv releasably gripping the adjacent portions of the binder posts at any point along the length thereof to secure one post to each nut member so that a slight motion of the nut members toward each other eiected by rotation of the screw in the proper direction draws the binder posts taut regardless of the thickness of the stack of leaves between the binder heads.

9. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a pair of binder heads between which a body of leaves is adapted to be clamped; binder posts, each having one end xed to one of the binder headsand having their opposite end portions flexible, said other binder head having' holes to receive the flexible end portions of the posts sof that said flexible end portions of the posts may lie longitudinally along the length of said other binder head; spaced gripping memberscarried by said other binder head adjacent to the holes therein and with which the flexible end portions of the binder posts engage to be gripped'thereby, said gripping members being biased to operative positions but movable to inoperative positions permittngfree movement of the flexible end portions of the binder posts with respect thereto so that said other binder head may be quickly moved toward and from the body of leaves; and common means for leasing the gripping members for movement toy their operative positions and for drawing the same toward each other to quicklypull the binder posts taut.

10. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: afhollow binder 'head having a hole in one wall; a flexible post having an end portion projecting through said hole and lying flatly within the binder head with its axis substantially parallel with the major axis of the binder head; a carrier movable longitudinally along the binder head; a gripping member carried b-y said longitudinally movable carrier and shaped to gripthe adjacent portion of the post when in its operative' position; means yieldingly urging said gripping member to its operative ,-position, said gripping member releasing the post for free movement with respect thereto upon being actuated to an inoperative position; means for moving the carrier longitudinally along the binder head in both directions; and means operable upon movement of the carrier in one direction for effecting the release of the post from said gripping member.

11. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a binder head; a flexible binder post;

, the binder head having a hole through which the flexible post passes and having space provision for the end portion of the flexible post so that said end portion of the flexible post is substantially parallel with the major axis of the binder head; a screw mounted longitudinally on the binder head; a nut member threaded on the screw and adapted to move longitudinally along the binder head in one direction or the other upon rotation of the screw; a clamping plate carried by the nut member and having a hole through which the flexible end portion of the post projects, said hole being large enough to permit free passage of the post therethrough when the plate is in a positionsubstantially perpendicular to the axis of the flexible post and being capable of bitinginto and gripping the post upon movement of the plate to `an inclined position;

a spring yieldingly urging the plate to such inclined position; and a fixed stop carried by the.

binder head against which the plate may be moved by the nut for releasing its grip on the binder post.

12. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a hollow binder head having a hole in one wall; a flexible binder post having an end portion confined within the binder head and extensibly projected through said hole; unidirectional clamping means in the binder head for releasably gripping the end .portion of the binder post at any point along its length, said clamping means being operable to prevent motion of the binder post out of the binder head while permitting motion of the binder post into the binder head; and means carried by the binder head for moving said clamping means while in an operative clamping position to draw the post into the binder head.

13. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a hollow binder head having a hole in one wall; a flexible binder post having an end portion conned within the binder head and extensibly projected through said hole; a screw carried by the binder head; a nut member threaded on said screw to be movable in op-posite directions longitudinally of the binder head upon rotation of the screw in opposite directions; means carried by said nut member for releasably gripping th-e adjacent end portion of the binder post at any point along its length Whereby motion of the nut member in one direction draws the binder post into the binder head; and means for disabling said gripping means by movement of the nut member in the opposite direction to release the binder post for movement in either direction with respect to said gripping means.

14. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a hollow binder head having spaced holes in one Wall thereof; flexible binder posts having 4end portions conned within the binder head and extensibly projected throughl said holes; gripping means to releasably` grip the end portions of they posts at any point along the length of their end portions inside the binder head, said gripping means allowing relative motion between the posts and the gripping means in one direction while preventing relative motion between the posts and the gripping means in the opposite direction; and common means accessible from the exterior of the binder head for moving the gripping means to draw the posts into the binder head and for disabling the gripping means to release the posts for free motion in either direction with respect to the gripping means.

l5. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a binder head having a hole in one wall thereof; a ieXible post having a part overlying said Wall of the binder head and extensibly projecting through said hole; a rotatable but nonlcngitudinally movable screw carried by the binder head and disposed longitudinally with respect thereto; unidirectional gripping means connected with said screw to be movable thereby longitudinally of the binder head, said gripping means being adapted to grip the portion of the flexible posts overlying said wall of the binder head at any point along its length to prevent relative motion of the post with respect to the gripping means in a direction to move the post out of the binder head while enabling relative motion of the post with respect to the gripping means in the opposite direction so that movement of the gripping means by said screw in one direction may be utilized to draw the post into the binder head; and means for disabling the gripping means to release the post for free motion in either direction with respect thereto upon u ADOLPH G. LOTTER.

` CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent NO 2,l80',855- Y* l November 2l, 1959.

' ADOLPH G. L oTTER.

, It is' 'hereby `certified that error app'eais4 in the printed specification, of the abeve numbenzed patent requiring correctionas follows: Page 5, second 'column,' I line 16, claim 9, for "leasing" read releasing; and that the said Letters Pat-entV should be 'rea with this I csozrrneicticpnl thereinthat the same may cnf'orm ytoA the recerd fof the ease in the Patent Officer I `Signed and sealed this 26th day of December, A. D. 1959.

y Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) I Acting Commissioner Qf Patents, 

